Muhammad Ali's power was underrated

To each their own but I must say I’ve never understood how anyone could consider that an early stoppage.

And, Ali started it all off with a SINGLE right hand that buckled Lyle instantly and sent him reeling back toward the ropes. Sensational.

 

Aw Heck, I thought you were drinking Coors or Blatz Beer buddy. Ha Ha.

 

Considering when he was shot he went 7 with Foreman or was it 8? He also survived Jumbo Cummings whilst beyond shot, Jumbo was known to have shell shocking power apparently… I think had a real rematch with Foreman took place it would’ve looked a bit different.

 

I think he was average personally. He just hit his man often enough, sometimes by surprise by virtue of his hand speed or when they were worn down.

 

Aw come on Journeyman92, he was your bud and you used to hang out with him. Ha Ha. Just kidding buddy.

 

Underrated as a finisher might be a better way of putting it.

I don't know if he hit a lot harder than they say, but I know that it takes an exceptional finisher, to retain a KO% like that, against such a high level of opposition.

You don't call the rounds, unless you expect to be able to put the other guy in trouble, in a very short space of time.

 

I’ll let you and others in on something relevant to this thread. I’ve known someone who has actually sparred Ali, they’ve got photos together I don’t remember when they sparred but he commented that Ali was impossibly strong and the hardest puncher he shared the ring with. Brief chat, I wish I could say more but that’s all I’ve got.

 

Thanks Pal, I do appreciate it.

 

Ali ****ed around a lot in there. Ali could have got a lot of guys out sooner if he so desired. Bob Foster would be a good example of many. Ali loved the spotlight and loved to show his talents. If Ali knocked guys out earlier he spent less time in the spotlight and showing said talents.

 

Ali did indeed look quite light punching in many fights, but he usually didn't put very much into his punches. Preferred volume, probably because he felt there was less risk of wearing himself out and be countered. Of course, constant movement makes it harder to get set, but he showed against Williams that he could combine movement with power if he wanted to.

Williams was the one fight where he threw with intent throughout the fight, and there was definitely good power in those shots. Probably the best Ali ever showed. Of course, we all know the state of Williams at that time, which let Ali unload with his full power.

Frazier 1 and 3 where other fights where Ali threw with real intent in the early rounds. But in most cases we just have glimpses where Ali go full out: rds 1 and 3 against Liston and the last rds of Quarry 2 for example, and for single shots we have Folley, Bonavena, Foreman and Lyle. Hard shots, for sure, but also accuracy and timing.

Even if we look at Ali throwing with real intent he comes no higher than a Holy or Holmes. Maybe not even as high. If he's rated as a significantly lighter puncher than these guys, yeah, you could say that he's underrated. But I don't think he is generally.

 

For some relativity perhaps, this is a fun montage of heavy bag punching, kicks off with Ali, Foreman, Tyson with a number of other well know boxers following:-

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Archie Moore had young Ali when he first turned pro. After his Gold Medal. Ali didn't take too well to the discipline Archie was trying to install. Besides that Archie Moore said he would have tweaked Ali's style making him more of a puncher or slugger.

Some of his fights would have been shorter and might have taken less punishment overall by not going the distance so often. That was Archie's view.

 

Muhammad's punching force came mainly from throwing them at high speed and in clusters. Not a one punch banger but no featherfist either.

 

lol do they even make 60lb heavy bags? it looks like a 150lb bag, and I think they said Foreman's trainer that was holding the bag and getting "knocked off his feet" was 150-180lbs so the Foreman knocking around 300lbs was a combined weight, those old school bags could be closer to 200 though like maybe 180